Some Privacy Tips For Your Google Plus Account

So you're on Google+ and you have familiarized with its interface but you have no idea about the privacy??

It's something for everyone to think about. Whether you're a newbie or power user, being familiar with Google+'s privacy settings (and the tips mentioned) can help make you feel safer and more comfortable using it.

Google has shown it's serious about privacy with Google+, after previous social networking efforts like Buzz raised privacy concerns. G+ is loaded with privacy settings, centered around a "circles" approach, allowing you to selectively share with whom you please. A privacy flaw raised by The Financial Times was quickly remedied by Google. In addition, TechCrunch reports that Google has acquired a privacy-centric social network.

It seems users are taking advantage of the privacy options too: more than two-thirds of Google+ activity is private.

Some of Google+'s privacy settings are obvious, but others are not so apparent. The tips below are a wide array of both basic and more advanced tips to feel secure on Google+.

TIPS

Choose Who Sees Your Posts

• When you start a post, you can share to your circles, extended circles, individuals or the public. Make sure "public" is NOT selected if you want to share to a limited audience. Simply select here the circle(s) or individual(s) you want to share with. You can even limit something to *just* yourself if you create a circle with no one in it. This can be used to bookmark posts or save them to read later. It's also worth keeping in mind that since "Extended Circles" means sharing to those circled by those you circle, if you're following any users who tend to circle everyone, that can mean essentially sharing publicly.

Limit Who Sees Your Whole Profile

• Every section and tab of the Google Profile can be adjusted so the entire Web doesn't see it. Whether you want to hide +1's (that is websites, not for G+ posts), or limit your home contact details to close friends, it's easy to do by hitting "Edit" on your profile and going to the tab or section of interest.

See What Your Profile Looks Like to Others

• Share something with a limited audience and nervous it appears on your profile page? Don't worry: Not everything you see on it can be seen by others. See how other people view your profile by using the (View as...) feature on your profile page; you can see how anyone around the Web sees you or even a specific person.

Create Whatever Circle Names You Want

• No one can see the names of your circles except for you. People will only receive a notification that they've been added to a circle. So feel free to be creative with your circle names. Thanks to Jean-Christophe Lilot for this tip.

Control Your Network Visibility

• If you prefer, you can hide who's in your circles and who circles you.  You should pay particular care to this section of your profile as "who you are following could reveal something about yourself." For example, Scoble says if you follow everyone at work that opens them up to being recruited by other people. Also, he says "if you are considering a new job and start following lots of people at your potential new job." Beyond hiding who you circle and who circles you completely, you can also hide them from public view and restrict access to those in your circles.

 Send Private Messages

• While Google+ doesn't have a separate "direct message" feature like Twitter, it's easy to start a private thread with someone. Simply share something but remove "public" and any circles, and replace the "share to" area with just the person's name.

Remember: Public = Indexed By Google

• Public posts and comments are indexed by Google. It's especially important to remember this when commenting: When you chime in on a public thread, just know that the world can find it through search. So public comment threads may not be the best place to pick a fight and you'll want to be mindful of what you're saying. 

 Adjust Your Gchat Settings

• Control which circles can Gchat with you by using the little arrow by the chat window. This feature to Gchat within circles is important to know because others could circle you and use this as a way to see when you are online or message you instantly.

 Disable Reshare Functionality

• When you share to a limited audience (even a private message), and you want to prevent others from sharing your post, you can disable reshare with the dropdown in the top right of your post after you post it. However, it is worth noting even if you don't do this, anyone who tries to reshare a limited audience post will get a prompt asking if they are sure they want to share, as it was originally intended for a limited audience

 Create Private Hangouts

• Start a hangout with only a specific circle, person or group of people if you want it to be private. You can always invite more people/circles later if you want, even invite the public at any time to change this setting, but you can't start a hangout public and switch to making it more private.

Hide Connected Accounts

• You can connect your Facebook, Twitter and other services but remove them from your public profile if you'd like under Settings in the top right of Google+, and the Connected Accounts tab.

Your Comments, +1's Are Not Easy To Find

• Unlike Facebook, which will tell your friends when you comment on something, and give them access to the thread, there's nowhere on your profile that tells people what you've commented on. The same is true for +1's as your +1 tab is for websites (for now), not anything you +1 on G+ itself. That being said, obviously the creator of the post will see when you comment, +1 or share, as will any others who can see the post (whether it's public or shown to a limited audience). But the fact your comments and +1s aren't displayed publicly in one place may give you some comfort too.

 Pay Close Attention To Your Public Profile

• Anyone who knows your name can find your public profile. They may not even be on Google+, but keep in mind *anyone* can stumble on your public profile page, so be mindful of what you post on it and what your public posts are. This could include an ex

Careful About Posting To "Last Shared"

• It's important to realize when you start a new note, it will by default suggest you share the post with those you shared your last post with. Check this carefully before you post to make sure you're comfortable with who it's going too. 

 Know That A Post's Audience Is Public

• As long as someone can see a post, he or see can use the gray "Limited" link to the right of the timestamp to see who else it is shared with. They wont be able to see circle names, but they will see all the people who might be in the circle or circles

 Block Problematic Users

• If someone is harassing you, threatening in any way, or you don't want to interact with them, you can go to their profile page and click "Block." You won't see their posts any longer. For serious matters, you may also want to report the user to Google

 Careful Sharing Location

• When you "check in" somewhere, and share it publicly, anyone can see where you are with the "nearby" filter in the mobile app.

 Check Privacy Settings On Sites You Link

• It's easy to post links to pages about you around the Web, from personal websites to social media sites and blogs. But something you may not immediately think about when putting all your sites in one place is the contents of those pages. If you list a mobile phone number on any of them, address, or anything else, anyone who lands on your Google+ page could find that. So be careful on these publicly visible links.

 Choose Who Can Huddle With You

• Go to the settings tab (top right of Google+) to adjust who can start a Huddle (text group chat) with you. By default, it's anyone.

Check Settings For Photos

• Google+ has Picasa and Blogger integration built in, so if you've uploaded photos to those sites in the past, it's worth checking your Photos tab to make sure those are private if you want them to be. Also, as you upload new photos, you can choose public or restrict to individual circles when you "Share album."

Disable "Instant Upload" On Mobile

• Droid users may want to be careful with the "Instant Upload" feature. While it helps upload photos you take with your phone to Google+, and defaults them to private, you may not want them so easily integrated into Google+.

Related Articles:

1. Browsing Safely: Understanding Active Content and Cookies
2. Some Privacy Tips For Your Google Plus Account
3. 5 Tips To Make Your Account Safer
4. Top 10 Computer Security Tips
5. Windows 8 Security Tips
6. Disable Java in IE, Firefox, Chrome, and Safari